Clockwise: The LOTR’s Cave-Troll statue. | The ‘Hulk King on Throne’ statue from the pages of World War Hulk | Old Man Logan statue | My Comic Odyssey haul: G.I. Joe #50, Supercrooks #2, The West Coast Avengers (Issues #19, #25, #29, #30, #32, and #37) and almost the entire run of Indestructible Hulk (Issues 002-003, 005-017, 019-020, Annual 001, and Special 001).

Swung by Day 1 of the Manila Hobbies & Collectibles Convention at the SM Megatrade Hall 3 today and was greatly disappointed—outside the really cool Old Man Logan, King Hulk, Cave-Troll[i], and Spider-Man statues near the entrance—with what they had to offer. Let’s just leave it at that.

I then made my way to Fully Booked Promenade in Greenhills to check out the Comic Odyssey closing sale. Although I came way with a number of quality finds, I am saddened by the fact that yet another pure comic book specialty shop is shutting down permanently. In the last couple of years, we have seen Comic Odyssey’s branch in Robinson’s Place-Manila and Filbar’s (as we knew them) suffer similar fates.

Some circles feel that this is a good thing. That they could probably get better deals “online.” But let me tell you: That smell when you enter the shop. That conversation you have with your local comic book proprietor. No online shop will ever give you that.

It is one of those experiences that you will only truly value once it is gone.

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[i] From the Lord of the Rings (2001) movie. It is the same cave-troll that is seen in the battle at the Chamber of Mazarbul.